Episode Overview:

In this episode of Quiet Impact, Nathan sits down with Mandeep Soor, the CEO and co-founder of Bendy, a groundbreaking tech startup helping retailers and manufacturers navigate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks in their supply chains. Mandeep shares her journey from corporate finance and strategy consulting to the startup world, revealing how Bendi was born out of a need to make supply chain data more accessible and actionable.

Key Topics Covered:

• Mandeep’s Background & Journey to Bendi
• From corporate finance to strategy consulting and eventually to the startup world, Mandeep explains how her experience shaped Bendy's mission and direction.
• The Evolution of Bendi
• How Bendy started as a consumer-facing tool for supply chain transparency and pivoted into an enterprise solution serving large brands and retailers.
• The Challenge of Supply Chain Data
• Why managing supply chain data is so complex, and how Bendy is helping companies map out their suppliers to identify ESG risks.
• The Role of AI in Supply Chain Transparency
• How AI and data science are being leveraged to track, analyze, and mitigate ESG risks at scale.
• Challenges & Lessons in Building a Tech Startup
• The key lessons Mandeep and her co-founders learned, including the importance of product-market fit and the struggles of monetization.
• Co-founder Dynamics
• The different strengths of Bendy's three co-founders and how they complement each other in building a scalable business.

Why This Matters:

With increasing global scrutiny on ESG compliance, businesses must have a clear view of their supply chains to avoid reputational and operational risks. Bendy’s approach is helping companies gain deeper insights into their suppliers and take proactive steps to mitigate risks.

Notable Quotes:

• "The challenge has always been around data. How do you manage it better? How do you get more of it? And how do you use it effectively?" – Mandeep Soor
• "We built something that looked great, was easy to use, but no one wanted to pay for it. That was a big lesson for us." – Mandeep Soor
• "Supply chains are incredibly interconnected. Understanding where your products come from is more important than ever." – Nathan

Resources & Links:

• Learn more about Bendy
• Follow Mandeep Soor on LinkedIn
• Connect with Nathan on LinkedIn

Subscribe & Stay Connected:

Don’t miss out on future episodes of Quiet Impact! Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and share it with others who might find it valuable!

Summary

In this conversation, Nathan Anibaba interviews Jonathan Leafe, an agency founder who has successfully grown and sold his agency. Jonathan shares his journey from being a musician to a business owner, emphasizing the transferable skills between the two fields. He discusses the importance of confidence, overcoming imposter syndrome, and the role of introverts in business. The conversation also covers effective sales strategies, the significance of networking, and tips for expanding into the US market.

Takeaways

• Jonathan Leafe transitioned from a musician to a successful agency founder.
• Introverts can excel in sales and entrepreneurship due to their listening skills.
• Confidence can be built through preparation and practice.
• Imposter syndrome affects both introverts and extroverts, but can be managed.
• Networking is essential for business growth and filling the sales pipeline.
• Sales strategies should include offering multiple solutions to clients.
• Clients often perceive creative services as professional services, allowing for higher pricing.
• Building relationships is key to long-term business success.
• Preparation is crucial for overcoming fear in sales situations.
• Expanding into new markets requires a strategic and patient approach.

Chapters00:00

Introduction to Jonathan Leaf and His Journey

02:27

Transition from Musician to Business Owner

05:29

The Role of Introverts in Business

08:22

Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

11:17

Building Confidence Through Preparation

14:22

Sales Strategies and Pricing Techniques

18:13

Filling the Sales Pipeline

21:04

The Importance of Networking

24:04

Expanding into the US Market

In this episode, Nathan chats with Mike Boogaard, a seasoned Chief Revenue Officer and sales expert with over 20 years of experience in agency growth and SaaS business scaling.

Mike has successfully founded and sold agencies, transitioned into SaaS sales, and now helps organisations understand how to win new business. His unique perspective bridges the worlds of agencies and technology businesses, shedding light on what these industries can learn from each other.

Key insights include:

• The Difference in Sales Strategies: Why SaaS businesses thrive with intentional, systematic processes, and how agencies can adopt these strategies without sacrificing creativity.
• The Importance of Discovery: How to use the "Three Whys" (Why Anything, Why Now, Why Us) to identify and solve client pain points effectively.
• Tailored Sales Processes: The nuances between shorter agency sales cycles and longer, more complex SaaS sales cycles.
• Scoping and Proposals: Co-creating solutions with clients and the critical role of quantifying value during the proposal stage.
• Closing Deals with Confidence: Why effective discovery and consistent processes throughout the sales cycle ensure natural deal closure.

Mike and Nathan also dive into the strengths of introverted salespeople, emphasizing listening, curiosity, and empathy as essential traits for sales success.

Whether you're a founder, sales professional, or marketer, this conversation is packed with actionable insights to elevate your B2B sales game.

• [00:00] Introduction and Mike's journey from agencies to SaaS.
• [02:21] How agencies and SaaS businesses approach sales differently.
• [07:06] The anatomy of an effective B2B sales process.
• [11:43] Mastering discovery with the "Three Whys."
• [28:10] Scoping and co-creating solutions with clients.
• [30:30] The importance of discussing budget early.
• [35:21] Why the close is a natural outcome of earlier stages.
• [39:59] The hidden strengths of introverted salespeople.
• [49:34] Mike's favorite books and advice for aspiring sales professionals.

• Connect with Mike Boogaard on LinkedIn
• Recommended Reading:
• Barbarians at the Gate by Bryan Burrough
• Start with Why by Simon Sinek
• From Strength to Strength by Arthur C. Brooks
• Learn more about Nathan and his work here.

Episode Summary: Interview with Jonathon Bates, CEO of PersuasionXP

In this episode, Nathan chats with Jonathon Bates, co-founder and CEO of PersuasionXP, an AI-driven company that uses neuroscience, psychology, and NLP to create personalised, persuasive marketing content.

Jonathon shares his journey from tech enthusiast to founder, explaining how PersuasionXP helps businesses optimise their content by tailoring it to the personality traits of their target audience.

The conversation dives into how personality influences decision-making, with Jonathon highlighting the role of the OCEAN model (openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism) in shaping consumer behavior.

He discusses how understanding these traits allows brands to craft more emotionally resonant content, ultimately boosting engagement and conversions.

Jonathon also talks about the power of small tweaks in marketing—like headlines and thumbnails—that can have a huge impact, drawing on examples from companies like Netflix. He also discusses the challenges of measuring advertising effectiveness and how PersuasionXP is helping solve this with AI-driven personalization.

As the episode wraps up, Jonathon shares his vision for the future of PersuasionXP and how AI will continue to transform marketing by delivering deeply personalized content that drives better business outcomes.

Key Takeaways:

• Personality influences 70% of decision-making in marketing.
• AI and neuroscience can be used to create more persuasive, personalized content.
• Small adjustments in marketing can significantly boost customer engagement.
• AI personalization is the future of B2B marketing.

In this episode, Nathan interviews the legendary Richard Abels, a seasoned sales professional with nearly 50 years of experience. From starting out in car sales to leading teams and advising business owners, Richard shares invaluable insights into what makes a salesperson truly exceptional.

• The Foundations of Sales Success: How Richard's early days in car sales shaped his consultative approach and taught him the importance of focusing on customer needs.
• The Power of Active Listening: Why listening—not talking—is the most critical skill for any salesperson.
• Overcoming Fear in the Sales Process: Strategies for reducing buyer hesitation and building trust with prospects.
• The Role of Emotional Intelligence: How understanding people and their motivations drives sales success.
• Adapting to Modern Sales: Why traditional cold calling is dead and how tools like LinkedIn have transformed how we connect with prospects.
• The Importance of Process: Why having a clear, repeatable sales process is non-negotiable for achieving consistent results.
• Working with Millennials and Gen Z in Sales: Insights on why younger generations approach sales differently—and how leaders can adapt.
• Honesty and Transparency in Sales: Why full disclosure builds stronger, long-term relationships with clients.

• "Fear is a massive part of why people buy. If you can't take fear out of the buying process, you'll never make a sale."
• "Great salespeople aren't talkers—they're listeners. The best sales conversations are about understanding the customer deeply."
• "Adapting to modern tools like LinkedIn isn't just smart—it's essential. It's where credibility lives now."

• LinkedIn: Richard Abels
• Learn more about Richard’s journey, insights, and how he helps businesses achieve sales success.

In today’s episode of Quiet Impact, Nathan sits down with Joel Harrison, Editor-in-Chief, influencer, and co-founder of B2B Marketing and Propolis.

With over 20 years of experience in the field, Joel has been a driving force in transforming B2B marketing from a niche topic to a thriving industry with a global community. Currently, he’s embarking on a journey of reinvention, exploring new opportunities in his career, and working on an exciting new book. Joel shares his insights on the future of B2B marketing, influencer marketing, and the power of personal brand.

Key Discussion Points:

• Joel’s Journey into B2B Marketing: Joel shares his background as a journalist and how he identified a gap in the market, leading him to co-found B2B Marketing. His efforts have helped shape the field, which has grown tremendously over the past two decades.
• The Power of Propolis: Joel explains how Propolis, a community intelligence platform for B2B marketers, enhances team performance, marketing effectiveness, and alignment with strategic goals.
• Influencer Marketing’s Role in B2B: Recently embracing the title of ‘influencer,’ Joel discusses the emerging importance of influencer marketing in B2B. He shares insights on how brands can leverage influencers for authentic messaging and how influencer marketing could shape the industry’s future.
• Balancing Brand and Performance Marketing: Joel and Nathan explore the relationship between brand and performance marketing, emphasizing the need for a balanced approach. They dive into how brand authenticity and personalized engagement are becoming more essential for long-term brand growth.
• Personal Branding and Leadership in B2B: Joel reflects on the importance of personal branding for B2B leaders, highlighting how influential figures like Rory Sutherland have humanized their brands and become thought leaders. They discuss how B2B brands can embrace personal branding to connect on a deeper level with their audiences.
• Introversion and Leadership: Nathan and Joel discuss the unique strengths introverts bring to leadership and sales. Joel opens up about his introverted tendencies and shares tips on how he balances the demands of his role with the need for recharging time. They explore how introverts can thrive in traditionally extroverted spaces like public speaking and sales by leveraging their depth and authenticity.
• Looking to the Future of B2B Marketing: Joel sheds light on the current state of B2B marketing and the trends shaping its future. He provides insights on content personalization, the balance between brand and demand generation, and what’s next in B2B marketing strategy.

Follow Joel: To stay updated on Joel’s latest ventures and the upcoming book release, connect with him on LinkedIn for the latest insights and announcements.

Connect with Quiet Impact: Stay tuned for more inspiring conversations on Quiet Impact, where we explore the intersection of introversion, leadership, and entrepreneurial success.

In this episode of Quiet Impact, I sit down with Jordan Adams, founder and CEO of OneNineFive, a global B2B demand generation agency, to unpack his unique journey from a challenging upbringing to establishing a thriving career in sales and entrepreneurship.

Jordan shares how resilience, empathy, and clear communication were key factors that shaped his approach to sales—and how introverts can leverage these qualities to succeed without needing to adopt a “hard sell” persona.

We explore the transformation of sales from loud, extroverted tactics to a more authentic, knowledge-based approach. Jordan explains why curiosity, self-awareness, and emotional intelligence are now critical skills for effective sales, especially for introverts.

He emphasizes the power of qualifying leads early on, helping you focus your energy on high-value opportunities instead of chasing every potential client.

For founders, Jordan also shares how producing founder-led content on LinkedIn has not only expanded his network and led to more speaking engagements but also attracted valuable inbound leads. He discusses how combining content creation with an outbound strategy can reduce perceived risk for potential clients, making them more receptive to outreach.

Whether you're new to sales or looking to refine your approach, this episode is filled with practical insights to help introverted founders make a lasting impact through authenticity and thoughtful engagement. Jordan’s story and strategies will inspire you to amplify your voice, build trust, and close more deals by simply being yourself.

Highlights:

-Jordan’s journey from a turbulent upbringing to B2B sales success

-The shift in sales from loud tactics to authenticity and empathy

-Key traits for effective sales: curiosity, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness

-The role of qualifying leads early to focus on high-value clients

-How founder-led content can build trust and warm up leads for outreach

Links:

Connect with Jordan Adams on LinkedIn

Learn more about OneNineFive B2B Demand Generation Agency at OneNineFivedemand.com

In this compelling episode, Nathan is joined by Reggie James, the founder and CEO of Digital Clarity, a digital growth marketing specialist with a wealth of experience growing and selling SaaS businesses. Reggie shares his journey, starting from his early career in insurance and advertising to launching two successful tech startups. He offers insights into the intersection of sales, marketing, and product development and explains how introverts can be some of the best salespeople by focusing on authenticity, active listening, and addressing the root of customer challenges.

Reggie emphasizes the importance of asking the right questions and remaining silent to allow prospects to open up and reveal the deeper issues behind their initial responses. He and Nathan discuss the power of silence in sales conversations and how it can help salespeople uncover the real pain points or opportunities, likening it to addressing the fire behind the smoke.

They dive into Reggie’s experience launching Digital Clarity and DC Storm, detailing the process of finding product-market fit and managing the complexities of early paid search campaigns. Reggie also shares his advice for early-stage founders on building a brand versus focusing on performance marketing. He highlights the importance of understanding core principles such as who you are, who you serve, and how you can solve your customers' problems, stating that only a small percentage of companies truly invest in defining these aspects before jumping into marketing and sales efforts.

Throughout the conversation, Reggie stresses the importance of empathy, authenticity, and understanding your customer’s pain, with a focus on building strong relationships over quick sales fixes. This episode is packed with actionable advice for tech founders, sales professionals, and anyone looking to excel in the digital marketing and SaaS landscape.